Here we have the world's most extraordinary hotel, Mihir Garh, in the middle of Rajasthan’s Thar Desert in India (as voted by the readers of Lonely Planet). I'm sure there was extraordinary competition. On my list to visit :)

Have you been following the situation in the Ukraine? I am uneducated on the issues but most interested; Ukrainian president flees as opposition seize the palace. Powerline wonders Can Ukraine survive? in a post which suggests a Czechoslovakian-style breakup of the country, into a western-leaning Ukrainian-speaking faction, and an eastern-leaning Russian-speaking faction. This would involve splitting the capital city of Kiev in two.

The map at left shows the prevalent language, Ukrainian in pink, Russian in blue; Kiev is right on the dividing line, the Dnieper River.